Pavement markers which have convexly rounded upper surface portions and convexly extending perimeters have come into general usage particularly for use in vehicular lane marking. For example, by placing a series of markers upon the center line of a two-lane paved road with the markers being longitudinally spaced from one another, improved ability is provided for a vehicle driver to stay in his assigned proper lane is provided. A vehicle driver traveling in either direction either sees the markers or senses the vibration when tires of his vehicle strike individual markers successively. At least some of the pavement markers of a center line located series can each be associated with retro-reflective reflector means for viewability by approaching vehicle drivers during nighttime.
At the present time, pavement markers are installed manually. Each individual pavement marker of a series is positioned by hand and is conveniently adhered to a paved road surface at a desired location and oriented position by means of an adhesive. A presently commonly used adhesive is hot tar during installation.
The convexly rounded upper surface portions of a pavement marker cannot be held by an installer's hand since no gripping surface exists. For an installer to hand hold a pavement marker along opposed portions of its opposite edges is dangerous because of the potential for finger and/or thumb burns from exposure to the hot tar during final positioning and contacting of an individual pavement marker with freshly deposited hot tar during installation.
There is a substantial need in the art of pavement markers for a system or means for manually holding an individual pavement marker in such a way that the chance of injury to an installer's hand is substantially eliminated.